An adventure tour operator has managed a double feat while checking out preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Lee Thompson, photographer and co-founder of The Flash Pack, a group tour organiser, not only obtained rare permission to climb into the head of Rio's iconic Christ The Redeemer statue but he also snapped a selfie in the process.

Religious experience: Thompson on Christ's arm. Photo: Lee Thompson

"As far as selfies go, I can’t compete with popes, presidents, and radical Russians, because as a photographer my job is to take the shots, not star in them. But when the opportunity arose to take the world’s first (and so far only) selfie with Jesus, I couldn’t resist," he wrote on the company's blog.

Thompson climbed the 38-metre structure with the help of two high-wire workmen and internal scaffolding, later describing the experience as "religious".

"As I popped my head out of the hole in Jesus’ crown, I was in total and utter awe as my eyes met with a vast panorama that quite literally took my breath away.

"Talk about a religious experience! I’ve never been afraid of heights or tight spaces, but experiencing acrophobia, claustrophobia and profound awe at the same time was something truly remarkable," he said.

The footage was taken with his GoPro cameras, while his professional SLR, presumably used for the landscape shots, hung around his neck.